Vehicle-spring



(No Model)" L. A.MELBURN.

v VEHICLE SPRING. No. 257,040. Patented Apr. 25,1882.

I J c 3 I d a 6 I "f a ,5 (Z afi'd WITNESSES INVENTOR @MZ /m% 3? d? MGMATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT -OFFICE.

LAFAYETTE A. MELBURN, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

VEHlCLE-SPRlNG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 257,040, dated April25, 1882,

Application filed January 20, 1882. (No model.) I

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I LAFAYETTE ALLEN MELBURN, ofDenver, in the county ofArapahoc and State of Colorado, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Vehicle- Springs, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact description, reference being bad to the annexeddrawings, forming part of this specification. i

In Letters Patent No. 250,565 1 have shown a vehicle-spring having itsends curved reversely and projecting laterally beyond the side bars,with the said ends secured underneath the side bars by means of pendentshackle-links.

My present invention consists in constructing the springinthreeremovable parts in such manner as to preserve the elasticity ofeach part.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side view of a side-barbuggy provided with springs constructed and arranged according to myinvention. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section of the same. Fig. 3is a detail cross-section, showing the end of a spring as attached to aside bar; and Fig. 4. is a detail of one of the end parts removed fromthe main or central part of the spring.

The body A of the buggyis supported upon the side bars, B B, which aresecured to the front head-block, a, and the rear axle, b. The body Arests on and is bolted to the convex middle portion of the springs O O,the ends of which are secured to the side bars.

Instead of forming the springs O in one piece, as in my formerinvention, I construct a joint in the portions immediately beneath theside bars, forming the spring in three removable parts. The centralpart, c, of the spring corresponds in shape to the common half-spring,while the two outer parts, 0 are constructed with apartially-cylindrical hearing, d, to form a joint with thedownwardcurved end of the central part, and are curved outward from thejoints in circular, or-nearly circular, form, and theninward underneaththe side bars, B, to which they are secured by the clips 0. The curvedportion (1 of the part c is thus made to project laterally beyond theside bar, as in my former invention, while the joints (1 give greaterelasticity to the spring. The bearing in the joint (2 may be secured, ifdesired, to the central part, 0, instead of the part c.

I am aware that a vehicle-spring has before been constructed in threeparts, with the end parts adapted to be secured to the side barsin suchmanner as to project beyond them atthe sides; but the joints between theparts are formed at or near the center of the end curves of the spring,so that the elasticity of said curves is practically broken andneutralized. The end parts of such a spring are merely projections fromthe side bars of but little, it any, flexibility, upon which the mainportion of the spring is hung. In my invention, on the contrary, the endparts of the springform theend curves thereof-that is to say, the endparts are formed with a nearly circular curve, with one end immediatelybeneath the other, so that the joints will not break the elasticity ofthe curves.

Among other advantages to be gained by a spring constructed according tomyinvention, the curved laterally-projecting parts 0 may be used inconnection with a common half-spring, thus making easily available acheap elastic vehicle-spring and it is designed that the said parts 0shall be so used.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, isr The vehicle-sprin g extension 0 formedwith an outward and inward curve of nearly circular form, and adapted tobe secured to a side bar at one end and -to form a flexible joint withthe endof a spring at the otherata point underneath the side bar,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

. LAFAYETTE ALLEN lllELBUR-N.

Witnesses CHAS. D. CAMERON, J P. GODDARD.

